Introduction
We discovered 6 revivals that occurred in East Hampton, New York, between 1741 and 1800. Information about these revivals is very limited, but we will share what information we found. Following that we will discuss the 1785 East Hampton Revival.

1741 East Hampton Revival
The 1741 revival in East Hampton is the first one recorded for that town. The results of the revival in that year resulted in about 100 who were “apparently converted,” with 60 who became members of the church. (There was only one church in that town at that time. Within a decade it became Presbyterian.)

Prior to the revival of 1741 the church had been declining, yet there was a group of people within that church that were given to prayer. They were the spark that led to that revival.

1749 East Hampton Revival
This revival occurred in the villages to the east and west of East Hampton, with a “considerable number” of young people being added to the Lord.

1764 East Hampton Revival
This revival can be read about here.

1791 East Hampton Revival
There is no written record of this revival, but it has been stated that “great numbers” of young people, and mostly children, were converted during this revival. That revival resulted in close to 50 people being added to the church. That small number is not an accurate measure of the revival because many of those converted were children and they were not able to become members of the church.

1800 East Hampton Revival
This revival can be read about here.

1785 East Hampton Revival
Prior to the start of the revival there was a significant number of people that the Lord began to stir, causing them to feel deeply about their sinful condition. This secret work wasn’t known by anyone at the time, and it only came to light after the revival had commenced.

For the majority of the believers living on the east end of Long Island, they felt reasonably secure in their relationship with God, but that all changed with the passing of a middle-aged woman.

Several weeks later, the daughter of that deceased woman began experiencing powerful convictions of sin, which led her to begin crying out for mercy. Within a few days she experienced the comfort of God’s mercy, and she knew her sins were forgiven. At 10 p.m. that same evening she sent someone to ask the minister of the East Hampton Presbyterian Church, Rev. Samuel Buell, to come to her home for a visit.

Rev. Samuel Buell

When Buell arrived at the home, he found the young woman at peace with God and inwardly rejoicing in her newfound hope of salvation.

In the home at the same time were a number of other young people, all of whom were experiencing conviction of sin. With Presbyterians at this time not believing a person could experience immediate salvation, Buell spoke words of encouragement, offered a prayer, and then left, indicating that he would return the next morning.

The next morning Buell returned to the same home and found a number of young people already there, burdened under the conviction of sin. He again exhorted and prayed for them, and left, expecting to see them later that evening.

After Buell left that home, he went to the grandparents of the young lady whose home he visited, to inform them of her condition. Fifteen minutes after his arrival at the grandparents’ home, the young lady, along with a number of other young people, arrived, and the home became filled.

The young lady expressed the joy she was experiencing and that her desire was to see others experience the same. Buell then prayed, and when he did:

There soon appeared to be a marvellous outpouring of divine influence, and the special presence of God seemed to fill the room.

Some of the young people became overwhelmed with the awareness of their sins and guilt before God. Buell said that they were responding like the people did on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, and in Acts 16, when the Philippian jailer said:

What must we do to be saved?

People kept arriving at the home and remained till later in the day. Everyone present was greatly concerned about the status of their relationship with God and requested others to pray for them so that the weight of guilt would lift off them.

Buell then scheduled a meeting for that evening at the school, and it was attended by a large number of people, and with the presence of God still being present, even more were experiencing the conviction of their sins.

First Presbyterian Church in East Hampton, New York

The Revival Spread
It was on August 11, 1785, that this revival commenced, and it became very powerful, spreading throughout the town, and even those in villages outside the town “fell under the power of this work.” Every day the numbers of those “awakened” increased, with the majority of those affected being young people, young married, and children.

From day to day there were mighty outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Some people were experiencing powerful manifestations of God’s presence, while others were under a severe weight of conviction, taking them through the process to salvation.

This movement continued for close to 4 months, with about 6-8 per week being converted.

Buell’s home became the place where those experiencing severe conviction of sin would come. When his home wouldn’t hold the crowd, they would go to the church. Regardless of where they would meet, there:

appeared to be a marvellous presence and powerful descent of the Holy Ghost, which much promoted the comfort of some, and equally increased the distress of others.

More appeared to be done for the enlargement of the Redeemer’s kingdom now in one day than in years at another time, when the influence of the holy Spirit, was in great measure suspended.

Buell indicated that the presence of God, and the response of people to that presence, was the same as what he witnessed during the revival that occurred in this town 21 years earlier (1764 East Hampton Revival).

Spirit of Prayer
During the revival there were a considerable number of people who “received a fresh anointing” for the purpose of prayer and praise. It was these people who became passionate promoters of the work, evidently becoming both evangelists and intercessors.

Results of the Revival
The records of conversions were not kept, but they did keep a record of those who joined church membership, and that number during this revival was over 100 people.

Sources
► A Faithful Narrative of the Revival of Religion by Samuel Buell

Return to List of Revival Stories

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